Witness for the Prosecution

[Tommy Tainant]

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) ⭐ 8.4 | Crime, Drama, Mystery

1h 56m | Approved

www.imdb.com

Highly rated and nominated for loads of Oscars. I watched this last night and found it a bit dated. It was made in 57 but felt like something made in 37.
Hollywood had moved on with a lot more realism in films but this one was having none of that being saddled with the usual cliches of dated Agatha Christie whodunnit crap.

Billy Wilder toils away with it but the result is akin to watching Sea Biscuit giving donkey rides on the beach.

Tyrone Power does the best he can with a part that is not fully sketched out but Dietrich is badly served by the script and having to do a ridiculous impersonation of a cockney. The worst of all time until Dick van Dyke stole her crown.

Charles Laughton lifts it from mediocrity by playing Charles Laughton.

The adaptation showed its stagey background with the tiresome interjections from the nurse and its a pity she wasnt the victim early on in the film.

Not a must see.

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) ⭐ 8.4 | Crime, Drama, Mystery

1h 56m | Approved

www.imdb.com

Highly rated and nominated for loads of Oscars. I watched this last night and found it a bit dated. It was made in 57 but felt like something made in 37.
Hollywood had moved on with a lot more realism in films but this one was having none of that being saddled with the usual cliches of dated Agatha Christie whodunnit crap.

Billy Wilder toils away with it but the result is akin to watching Sea Biscuit giving donkey rides on the beach.

Tyrone Power does the best he can with a part that is not fully sketched out but Dietrich is badly served by the script and having to do a ridiculous impersonation of a cockney. The worst of all time until Dick van Dyke stole her crown.

Charles Laughton lifts it from mediocrity by playing Charles Laughton.

The adaptation showed its stagey background with the tiresome interjections from the nurse and its a pity she wasnt the victim early on in the film.

Not a must see.

I have watched a lot of those old movies that won Oscars and was left wondering why?

Tastes change I guess.

Citizen Kane is a prime example. WTF is the thing with that movie? That is on every top 10 for greatest of all time. I have watched it twice, twenty years apart in fact.

Completely unimpressed on both occasions.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

I have watched a lot of those old movies that won Oscars and was left wondering why?

Tastes change I guess.

Citizen Kane is a prime example. WTF is the thing with that movie? That is on every top 10 for greatest of all time. I have watched it twice, twenty years apart in fact.

Completely unimpressed on both occasions.

Ive never watched it either. I keep meaning to but tbh I would rather watch a western. I will commit to watching it in the next few weeks and will report back.

 

[whitehall]

Vintage courtroom dramas are boring, British courtroom dramas are especially boring and this one was no exception. "57" must have been a slow movie year

 

[Flopper]

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) ⭐ 8.4 | Crime, Drama, Mystery

1h 56m | Approved

www.imdb.com

Highly rated and nominated for loads of Oscars. I watched this last night and found it a bit dated. It was made in 57 but felt like something made in 37.
Hollywood had moved on with a lot more realism in films but this one was having none of that being saddled with the usual cliches of dated Agatha Christie whodunnit crap.

Billy Wilder toils away with it but the result is akin to watching Sea Biscuit giving donkey rides on the beach.

Tyrone Power does the best he can with a part that is not fully sketched out but Dietrich is badly served by the script and having to do a ridiculous impersonation of a cockney. The worst of all time until Dick van Dyke stole her crown.

Charles Laughton lifts it from mediocrity by playing Charles Laughton.

The adaptation showed its stagey background with the tiresome interjections from the nurse and its a pity she wasnt the victim early on in the film.

Not a must see.

Did you see the 1982 version on Youtube with Ralph Richardson, Wendy Hiller, Beau Bridges, Deborah Kerr?

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Did you see the 1982 version on Youtube with Ralph Richardson, Wendy Hiller, Beau Bridges, Deborah Kerr?

Not yet. Not encouraged tbh.